Buffing and abrasive device



P 1932- B. A. CASPER 1,879,083

BUFFING AND A BRASIVE DEVICE Filed July 7. 1930 Patented Sept; 27, 1932 nmwam A. CASPER, 01' mnaroms,

ammom D IVIOI I Application ma m ii, mu. m 10.48831 This invention relates to polishing and abrasive devices such as are used for cleaning and bufling floors and walls of buildings, and while adaptable for a' wide general use in abrasively treating and cleaning metal, wood, and other material, it is es ially well suited for cleaning and re-condltioning floors and woodwork.

The buffer or abrasive element 'of my dem vice utilizes steel wool as the cleaning and abrasive medium, and the steel wool is so applied and mounted on the spool or other holding member or element that it will penetrate into the crevices and interstices of the wood or other material, thoroughl c eaning and bufling the same longitudina y of the grain of the material.

Steel wool in matted or blanket form has of course been extensively used for polishing go and scouring, and some efiort has been made to successfully use matted steel wool in a rotary buflfer. however, have been impractical for the reason that the steel wool will become detached from the rotary holding element, and further, the filaments of the steel wool being matted andcrossed, will scratch transversely of the grain and will not penetrate the interstices of the wood to clean the same.

It is an object of my invention to provide a comparatively simple but highly efiicient buffer and abrasive device utilizing steel wool, wherein the wood is treated longitudinally of the grain by a multiplicity of steel filaments extending circumferentially of the buffing element, and wherein the steel wool is wound spirally about the spool forming successive layers of filaments, thereby preventing detachment of the steel wool from the buifing element.

It is a further object to provide a bufler and abrasive device of the type described, and a frameor mounting for the same, whereby the filaments of the steel wool will be applied tangentially to the surface treated.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing 00 wherein like reference characters refer to Prior devices known to me,

similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: t Figurel is a side elevation of a floor treatmg rnachme embodying my invention.

- 1gure-2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. J

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Figurev 2 and showing the winding of the steel wool filaments upon the spool.

Figure 4 1s a perspective view showing the manner in which the strands or filaments of steel woo are wound u on the spool, and

F 1gure 5 1s a side elevation of a bufligg or abrasive element which may be attach one end of the bufiin shaft.

As illustrated in t e drawing my rotary bufling or abrasive element com "an elongated hollow spool 6, havin t e flanged circular ends 7', which are provi ed with centrally disposed keyhole-shaped apertures 7 the circular portion of aperture 7 being disposed concentric with spool 6. The circular ends 7 are rigidly fixed to ends of spool 6 or may be integrally constructed therewith. Thespool proper is preferably constructed of wood or some fibrous or roughened material.

Steel wool is obtained and combed or repared in such manner that the indivi ual filaments extend substantiall parallel in the 30 form of a ribbon and the rib on, comprising a series of these filaments, is carefully wound upon spool 6 as illustrated in Figure 4, forming spiral layers of the metal filaments.

In beginning to wind the steel wool the end 35 of the ribbon maybe atfixed to the spool or may be lapped under the next windin and tightly drawn against the spool, the intent being to secure the windings so that there will be no slippage or displacement of the steel wool from the spool. The buffer ele ment formed by the spiral windings is consideraby larger in diameter than the ends 7 of the spool in order that the surface may be efiiciently treated by the cylindrical surface of the buffing element rather than the ends thereof.

It will of course be understood that various machines or other means for supporting and driving my rotary bufling element may be utilized, all within the scope of the invention.

In the form of the machine disclosed for floor treating, a suitable frame F is supported at its rear ends and intermediate portions by four rollers 8. The frame may comprise spaced side bars secured together by crossbeams, -or may comprise an integral plate having ears or apertured portions for receiv ing the rollers 8. At the front of the frame a segmental-shaped hood 9 is rigidly secured, wherein the rotary bufling element is partially housed. Hood 9, as shown, has spaced ends provided with vertical guides 9, which may be cast or otherwise formed therein, and the said guides each include two sets of aced flanges 9 the flanges of each set definmg a slot through which the driving shaft 10 of the buflin element may horizontally extend. Bearin locks 11 are slidably mounted in each 0 the vertical guides 9. These bearing blocks are yieldingly pressed in a downward direction by means of coil springs 12 which are housed in the guides 9, and engaging at their lower ends the upper surfaces of the blocks 13. The downward movement of bearing blocks 11 within the guides 9' is limited by means of stop screws 9, which may be horizontally threaded into the side portions of the vertical guides 9*. The driving shaft 10 extends through the slotted portion of the guides, through the bearings 11, and through the hollow spool 6, and is provided adjacent its ends with small keys 10', which interlock with the slotted portions of the keyhole apertures 7" in the ends of the spool. Shaft 10 is prevented from longitudinal displacement by suitable means, such as collars 15 and 16 afiixed to the outer ends thereof. One end of the shaft 10 has rigidly afiixed thereto a silent chain sprocket 17 which is connected by silent chain 18 with a sprocket 19- of a gear-reducing member. The gearreducing member is mounted on a stub shaft 20 journaled horizontally and transversely in a suitable bearing provided at the medial portion of frame F. A suitable electric motor M may furnish the source of driving power and, as shown, is mounted upon the medial portion of frame F- with its armature shaftextending transversely of said frame, and carrying a small driving pinion 21, which is in mesh with a large gear 22 aflixed to the gear-reduction shaft 20.

An attachment bracket 23 may be fixed at the rear of the casing of motor M, and to the attachment bracket an elongated handle 24 erated by a lever 26 and a link 26, said lever being conveniently disposed for operation ad acent the outer end of handle 24. The tooth 25 is adapted to-engage a series of radially disposed sockets23 formed in attachment bracket 23.

In Figure 5 an attachment bufling member is illustrated which is especially adapted for use in cleanin floor boards or moldings which extend slightly above the level of the floor. This attachment member comprises a relatively short spool 28 upon which is spirally wound, in the manner previously described with reference to the winding of spool 6, a series of strands of steel wool or-other metal filaments W. The spool 28 is rigidly attached to a shaft 28, which may be substituted in the machine for the driving shaft 10 of the bufier element illustrated in Figures 1 to 4.

In operation the rotary bufling or abrasive 7 element is disposed tangentially with reference to a surface to be treated, and in floor conditioning machines the buffer element is moved across the floor longitudinally of the strands extending circumferentially of the spool 6 engage the interstices of the wood,

removing dirt and dust therefrom and recongitudinally of the grain.

grain of the wood. The metal filaments or w It will further be seenthat as the outer layers of the spiral windings become worn, the next successive layers are exposed for ap-' plication to the surface, and the mass of steel wool will never be disintegrated or separated from-the spool until the same is completely consumed and worn by friction against the surface treated. The bufiing or abrasive element is of course driven in such a direction that the friction thereof against the surface will tend to wind the strands of metal tighter upon the spool rather than to unwind the same.

In the particular form of machine illustrated in the drawing the bufiing' and abrasive element may be very conveniently applied to a floor, the frame F being mounted for travel over the floor on rollers 8. When it is desired to lift the bufling element from engagement with the floor, the handle 24 may be swung downwardly, placing the weight of the motor and frame mostly upon the rear rollers of the frame. The bearings for the driving shaft 10 of the element are yieldably mounted, enabling the bufi'mg element to properly conform to variations in the contour of the surface treated. The horizontal position of the bufling element as well as the teneasily varied by adjusting the winged bolts 14. The hood or guard 9, partially housing the bufling element, prevents dust, dirt, and broken particles of the steel wool from flying .sion upon the springs 12 may be quickly and back against'theoperator. As indicated in Figures 1 and 3 the bufiing and abrasive element is preferably rotated in a direction opposite to the travel of the machine over the 5 surface.

In the foregoing description it will be seen that I have invented a simple but highly efiicient buflin device adapted to be manufactured at re atively low cost, and capable of wide general usage for cleaning, polishing, reconditioning, and abrasivel treatin surfaces. The particular win ing an mounting of the bufiing and abrasive element renders it especially well adapted for efliciently treating fibrous material which has grain, and for penetrating the interstices of the outer surface without scratching or marrin the appearance of the material. The b g and abrasive elements may be used '20 without disintegration of masses of steel wool, since the strands are spirally and circumferentially wound upon the spool, and as the outer layer of steel filaments becomes worn, a new and fresh layer is substituted. It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details,.proportions, and parts without departing from the scope of my invention, which,

generally stated, consists in adevice capable of carrying out the objects of the invention, and as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A floor surfacing machine of the power driven type includin a rotary spool arranged for rotation a ut an axis paralleling the floor and transverse to the direction of movement of the machine over said floor lic filaments wound helically upon said spool from one end to the other end thereof and then helically back from the second end to-. ward the first mentioned end. to form a pluralit of layers presentin helically disposed a rasive edges to said oor.

In testimong whereof I aflix in Si ature. ENJAMIN A. AS ER.

and abrasive material upon said spool in the form of a multiplicity of metallic filaments wound helically thereof so as to present spirally disposed abrasive edges of said filaments to said floor.

2. A floor surfacing machine of the power driven t pe includin a rotary spool arranged or rotation a ut an axis aralleling the floor and transverse to the irection of movement of the machine over said floor and abrasive material upon said spool in the form of a multiplicity of substantially pararallel filaments of steel wool wound helically thereof so that the abrading edges of said wool extend spirally of said spool.

3. A floor surfacing machine of the power driven type including a rotary spool arranged for rotation about an axis parallel- 'ing the floor and transverse to the direction of movement of the machine over said floor, an abrasive material upon said spool in the form of a multiplicity of metallic filaments wound helically thereof in a series of successive layersand presenting helically disposed abrasive edges to the floor.

l. A floor surfacing machine of the power driven type including a rotary spool arranged for rotation about an axis parallel- 

